Manchester City are getting back to their best - Pep Guardiola

11 February 2017 12:09

Pep Guardiola feels Manchester City have produced much more of the football he requires in recent weeks.

City are unbeaten in four games since suffering a damaging 4-0 loss at Everton last month.

In two of those games they were convincing, beating Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and West Ham in the Premier League 3-0 and 4-0 respectively.

They were also highly impressive before being forced to settle for a draw against Tottenham, and dominant even though they required a late winner to beat Swansea.

The sequence is much more reminiscent of the free-flowing attacking style that underpinned their 10-game winning start to the campaign than their disjointed form of the autumn.

Guardiola said: "When I see the first half against Swansea it is what I want. We monopolised the ball, we arrive six, seven, eight times to the byline.

"We did not create too many chances because it is so difficult with 10 players there and there was a big difference in the second half (performance) from the first, so we need more consistency.

"But since Tottenham at home, West Ham and Crystal Palace, I think we are more stable, we control more."

Top scorer Sergio Aguero has not started any of the last three games while new signing Gabriel Jesus has taken the chance to shine.

Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, controversially signed as a replacement for England number one Joe Hart earlier this season, has also been dropped while another recent recruit, Nolito, seems to have fallen out of favour too.

But Guardiola insists all players remain in his thoughts.

The Spaniard, whose side travel to Bournemouth on Monday, said: "I am concerned thinking about the next game. I am not thinking too much about individual players.

"I think about the next game, our rhythm, our way to play that has been much better in the last period and try to help the players to be ready. We will need all of them."

Nolito has not started since the Boxing Day win at Hull and featured only twice since.

Asked specifically what the Spain forward needed to do to get more game time, Guardiola said: "He doesn't need anything more - just the manager to play him.

"Basically, we have three players in top form - Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus - and that's the only reason."